


Marry You Anyway

by frubeto



Series: 101 Ways To Bring Back Hugh Culber [3]
Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 07:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15658143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frubeto/pseuds/frubeto
Summary: Nothing in their lives ever really goes to plan so why should their engagement be an exception?





	Marry You Anyway

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Все равно женюсь на тебе](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17325029) by [allayonel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/allayonel/pseuds/allayonel)



 

 

“I know for a fact that you can dance better than this.”

 

“Maybe I don’t want to.”

 

He has his arms around Hugh’s neck and they’re swaying slightly to the music the way most couples are. Hugh smiles and uses his hold on Paul’s hips to gently steer them further to the left to avoid collision.

 

“You’re also letting me lead.”

 

“Hm.”

 

“Should I be worried?”

 

“I’m… happy.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Paul grins at his confusion and leans in to kiss him. There’s a few people watching, but they’re off duty and it’s not as if everyone doesn’t already know they’re madly in love by now, after everything that’s happened.

 

Over Hugh’s shoulder he sees Burnham enter the deck, and Tilly joins her almost immediately, so he decides to wait until the song is over until he ushers them off the dancefloor and towards the bar where the two are waiting. There’s a short hello and Tilly and Hugh take off to find a table while Paul stays behind with Burnham, who is ordering drinks. He adds the order for himself and Hugh and then thanks her quietly for the small box she has subtly slipped into his pocket.

 

The first drinks arrive and Paul takes them to their table.

 

“One synthehol for you-”

 

He puts one glass in front of Hugh and the other down on Tilly’s side.

 

“-and this is for you.”

 

“Thanks. What is it?”

 

“It’s erm...” he starts, but he wasn’t paying much attention earlier and comes up blank. “It’s green.”

 

Tilly just shrugs and takes it.

 

“So Doctor Culber, how are you feeling? Are you settling back in?”

 

Burnham sits down next to Paul and he accepts his own drink from her gratefully.

 

“I am,” Hugh says, and then adds something about working again that Paul doesn’t fully catch, too busy staring at the beautiful face in front of him and trying to ignore the rising anxiety in his stomach. But there’s no harm in enjoying the view for a bit longer, right? After all, he has come dreadfully close to losing it forever. This – peace, a relaxed evening out together, no looming threats of disaster – when all of this mess started, he almost hasn’t expected he could ever-

 

“Right, Commander?”

 

It takes him a moment to realize she’s talking to him.

 

“I’m sorry, what-?”

 

“I was just telling him about our progress.”

 

“Ah. Yes, we… we made… progress,” he says lamely, and Hugh throws him a look.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Paul tries a smile, but it probably comes across as fake with how tense he is.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“You’re acting strange today.”

 

“I’m fine,” he repeats, and resolves to follow the conversation better from now on.

 

Though apparently he doesn’t succeed, because Hugh keeps glancing at him curiously, which also does nothing to calm his nerves. He takes a sip from his drink and starts fiddling with the glass and focuses on Tilly instead. Maybe he just needs to ignore Hugh. The same way he’s actively ignoring the soft pressure against his thigh that keeps reminding him that he has plans to follow through with while he holds a mindless conversation about Heisenberg compensators.

 

It works well for a while until eventually, Hugh has had enough.

 

“Are you ever gonna get that ring out?”

 

Everyone’s jaw drops, Tilly squees and slaps a hand over her mouth, and after the initial shock Paul is caught somewhere between frustration and fascination.

 

“How?!” is all he manages.

 

“Come on, did you really think you could keep this a secret?”

 

“Yes!” he says indignantly. “I didn’t even _have_ it. I let Burnham handle everything because she has the perfect poker face. Not even Tilly knew.”

 

She nods in confirmation and Hugh smiles fondly.

 

“Well, _Burnham_ was very discreet.”

 

Paul groans. Not even knowing _when_ he could _possibly_ have given himself away makes him want to headbutt the table, but he resists. Barely. Instead he takes a deep breath and fishes the box out of his pocket, placing it between them and giving Burnham the sign to get lost and take Tilly with her. She reacts immediately and they leave to dance while Paul slowly and meaningfully slides the box across the table.

 

“What, no grand speech and getting on your knees?”

 

“No. You’ve ruined it,” Paul deadpans, and they stare at each other for some seconds before both breaking out in a grin.

 

“We… We’ve talked about this, but… I wanted to put that back on the table. Literally.”

 

He leans over to tap the top of the box and it opens, revealing a slim, elegant ring. It has a slightly blueish shimmer to it, making Hugh wonder whether Paul has had it specifically made, or even worked on it himself.

 

“I know it’s unfair of me to do this publicly, but I trust you’re just going to be honest, and you should know that Burnham is instructed to divert all attention if this goes wrong, so...”

 

He stops, knowing he’s rambling, and forces himself to calm down. There are words he has wanted to say, but his brain is doing a very poor job of remembering those, so he looks up, meets Hugh’s eyes and decides to improvise.

  
“I love you,” he starts. That was certainly in there somewhere, right?

 

“And I don’t want to spent another day without you.”

 

Perfectly true, he realizes, as even the idea brings involuntary tears to his eyes.

 

“…will you marry me?”

 

Hugh continues to watch him as if he’s still making up his mind about the answer, and Paul huffs.

 

“Oh no, you had enough time to think about this, don’t pretend to start now.”

 

“One condition.”

 

“This… isn’t really a _condition_ kind of situation...”

 

“You’re not allowed to make me cry at the ceremony.”

 

Paul laughs at that and, with no intention of ever keeping it, says,

 

“Deal.”

 

 

*

 

 

“How did I not know about this?”

 

“I promised.”

 

“Yes, but-” she pauses while she twirls around and then returns into Michael’s arms. “Even I can tell when Stamets is lying and I know you pretty well. I thought I would _notice_.”

 

There’s no time for Michael to respond as Tilly spots something over her shoulder and gasps.

 

“Oh my god.”

 

“What.”

 

“I think he said yes.”

 

Michael turns them around and sees the two kiss across the table.

 

“I believe he did.”

 

“I’m so happy for them.”

 

Tilly grins, bouncing with excitement so much she looses her rhythm for a moment. She doesn’t even bother trying to find it again and just stops, pulling back to look Michael in the eye, already going through a million possibilities.

 

“Do you think the wedding’s going to be on Discovery?”

 

 


End file.
